Frequently asked questions

Criminal offences, serious regulatory breaches and violations of data protection, environmental, tax, consumer protection and other areas of law under § 2 HinSchG. Breaches of constitutional loyalty by civil servants are also covered.

All persons reporting violations in a professional context: employees, civil servants, board members, interns, applicants as well as external contractors and subcontractors.

No. You have free choice between the internal reporting body (at the employer) and the external bodies (BfJ, BaFin, Federal Cartel Office). There is no obligation to report internally first.

Yes. Anonymous reports are permitted under HinSchG and must be processed. Name and e-mail may be left blank in the form.

The identity is protected under § 8 HinSchG. It may only be known to the staff handling the report. Disclosure is only permitted in narrowly defined exceptional cases (§ 9 HinSchG).

Acknowledgement of receipt within 7 days at the latest. Feedback on follow-up measures within 3 months — or reasons why none were taken.

Dismissals, warnings, transfers or other disadvantages in response to a report are prohibited under § 36 HinSchG. A reversed burden of proof applies in favour of the reporting person.

Yes. Where there is reasonable suspicion, disclosure to the reporting body is permitted — even contrary to NDA clauses. Precondition: you had grounds to believe disclosure was necessary.

Knowingly false reports are not protected and may trigger damages and criminal consequences. Where suspicion was reasonable at the time of reporting, protection remains.